Coming to Myself

The weather in Xiangcheng was much warmer than in Tibet. It was June, and the sun was hot but not scorching. The haze had also retreated during this season, leaving behind blue skies, white clouds, and the clear, jade-like Xiang River—a rare beautiful day.

You Mingxu wore only a short-sleeved shirt as she disembarked from the plane with her colleagues. Among those escorted was Gu Tiancheng. Over the past two days on the road, You Mingxu had only caught distant glimpses of him and hadn’t spoken a word to him. The man had remained silent throughout the journey, yet calm, showing no trace of panic or disarray after his arrest. A person like him had likely long retreated into his own world, abandoning everything outside.

A group of police officers boarded the waiting police vehicles and sped back to the station. Several officers from Tibet also accompanied them, as they would jointly interrogate the suspect.

This series of cases had occurred within a short timeframe, with cruel and concealed methods. Though less than a few weeks had passed, the incidents had sparked significant repercussions in Xiangcheng, Tibet, and even nationwide. Fortunately, the case had been solved quickly. Now, seated in the vehicle, the officers chatted and laughed, the atmosphere relaxed. Some even joked about making You Mingxu treat them, as she might receive a commendation for her work.

You Mingxu smiled faintly and said, "Sure, if I get credited, you can all have a feast on me."

The brothers burst into laughter. Fan Jia chimed in, "Sister You, Sister You, I want to eat crayfish!"

You Mingxu replied, "No problem."

As for this "station flower" of the Yueshan Police Station, the brothers in the criminal police team had mixed feelings. On one hand, You Mingxu was truly beautiful—elegant without being ostentatious, slender yet not gaunt, graceful and delicate, arguably no less striking than female celebrities. On the other hand, this flower was fierce. She carried an air of pride, often retorting sharply without warning, and would slant her phoenix eyes at you, making your heart uneasy. She had also won the championship in the provincial police martial arts competition and was said to have trained in judo for over a decade. In other words, she was the best fighter in the entire station. So, if you thought about pursuing her, you had to weigh carefully: Could you handle her? Were you worthy?

Of course, there were still some from other teams who harbored ambitions. For those who expressed interest subtly, You Mingxu would straightforwardly say, "I’m not interested in you." For those who persisted, she would utter a single word: "Get lost."

Gradually, men began to feel a bit intimidated. Over time, as they fought side by side more often, witnessing You Mingxu’s combat skills, endurance, ferocity, and ruthlessness, even those in the same team stopped seeing her as a woman. Those outside the team dared only admire this unattainable flower from afar, never daring to touch.

However, everyone had pondered the same question: Who would eventually take this thorny flower away? It would have to be someone truly impressive; otherwise, the entire station would object.

The Yueshan Branch was located at the foot of Yuelu Mountain, with several solemn white buildings exuding calm authority. As several police vehicles pulled to a stop, You Mingxu hopped out, followed by a few brothers from the team. They had only taken a few steps when someone ran over and whispered to her, "Sister You, Gu Tiancheng says he’ll only cooperate with the interrogation if he speaks with you first."

You Mingxu looked up. Under the large tree in the courtyard, the man had changed into a clean T-shirt and casual pants, handcuffed and flanked by two officers. He seemed to be watching her.

You Mingxu said, "Okay."

A brother behind her asked, "Sister You, everything alright?"

"Everything’s fine. You go on in first."The interrogation room was brightly lit, with a faint hum of electricity, making the enclosed space feel even more silent and vast. Gu Tiancheng sat alone behind the table, his cuffed hands resting beneath it. His face showed no expression, and he was very quiet.

The door opened, and You Mingxu walked in alone. She had changed into her police uniform, her hair tied into a ponytail. Gu Tiancheng stared at her intently, sensing a hint of greed and excitement within himself. He let out a low, self-mocking chuckle.

You Mingxu seemed not to notice. She pulled out a chair and sat down, then took a pack of cigarettes from her pocket, lit one, and handed it to him. He smiled as he accepted it. "Thanks."

"What did you want to talk to me about?" she asked.

"Nothing much, just wanted to see you."

She said, "Cooperate fully, and leniency may follow; resist, and the consequences will be severe. But in your situation, there's no room for maneuvering. Consider it a way to give closure to the victims' families outside and accumulate some virtue for yourself."

He exhaled a puff of smoke and said, "I don't care about them."

You Mingxu smiled. "What have you ever cared about?"

He replied, "You were the destination of my journey. I deeply regret not being able to kill you. But being caught by you feels strangely satisfying. I actually cherish you—perhaps more than anyone around you understands or values you. Do you believe that? I called you here today to give you a few words of advice: Life isn't really worth it. Especially for a woman like you, who takes certain things too seriously and remains too loyal. If you're ever betrayed or wronged in the future, you're finished. You seem sharp, but you're actually quite naive. Don't be foolish—human nature is nothing good. The people you protect aren't worth it. Only you are worth it. Have you forgotten how Mingtao dragged you into trouble, or how Zou Furong and Song Lan ultimately abandoned you and ran? Remember my words: If you don't look out for yourself, heaven and earth will conspire against you. Stop being foolish. I genuinely feel for you. The bond between us, I'll never forget, even in death. I hope you won't forget either—always remember these words I've left you."

You Mingxu was silent for a moment, then smiled and replied, "You're truly beyond redemption. You're twenty-eight years old, yet your understanding of the world and people is as childish and narrow-minded as a child's. What matters in life isn't how others see or treat you, but what kind of person you are and living true to yourself every day, even if it's your last. You think you live detached, not caring about others. But everything you just said proves that, from start to finish, you've been living in the opinions of others, obsessing over how they treat you. It's these things, being trapped in them, that drove you step by step to madness, isn't it? Well, I understand now. You're just a child who was hurt and could never stand up again. You killed recklessly to prove yourself and make others see you. Gu Tiancheng, your life is the one that's not worth it. You never lived it well."

Gu Tiancheng fell silent, the lines of his face finally stiffening. After a while, he looked up and smiled. You Mingxu saw his eyes redden, a glimmer of moisture seeming to flash in them. But a man like him wouldn't shed tears. He just pressed his lips tightly together. Soon, his face relaxed again, his expression as calm as stagnant water with barely a ripple.You Mingxu stood up and said, "Also, I'm not as pitiful as you make me out to be. I can entrust my life to every comrade around me. Even if I die for one of them, or for a stranger like Mingtao, that's my duty as a police officer. What's the problem? And stop going on about love and affection all the time. Did you take my undercover act seriously? Well, sorry to say, the number of men I've dumped probably exceeds the number of women you've ever been with. You're just one of the mediocre... actually below-average ones. Don't keep thinking about me. Don't even think about me after you're dead—I never take responsibility. Alright, I'm leaving. You'd better confess properly. Gu Tiancheng, before you die, try being your true self for once."

You Mingxu walked out of the interrogation room, leaving utter silence behind her. She closed the door, and two police officers immediately stepped in to take over. The sun was already setting, casting long shadows in the corridor, bright and quiet. She walked to the window, stood there smoking for a while, then felt annoyed at her own nicotine addiction. Tossing away the half-smoked cigarette, she headed toward her office.

In the lobby, however, she saw a crowd. Most were elderly couples, their eyes filled with tears and emotions running high. She knew these were the families of the victims from the highway serial murder case. She quietly watched them for a few moments before turning and walking away.

That day, everyone worked late into the night before finally clocking out. You Mingxu was utterly exhausted. They had arrived in Xiangcheng that morning, and now all she wanted was to return to her own place, sleep like the dead, and forget everything.

As she was about to leave, Fan Jia approached, arms full of case files. You Mingxu asked casually, "Has Gu Tiancheng confessed?"

Fan Jia nodded. "He has. He's been relatively cooperative, though he doesn't say much. I feel like he's a bit distracted."

You Mingxu was silent for a moment, then smiled. "I'm heading out."

The early summer night was cool and clear, filled with countless stars. Many lights were still on in the police station building, and to You Mingxu, they looked like silent steel giants looming in the darkness. The accumulated exhaustion of the past few days threatened to overwhelm her like a tidal wave. She left the station and waited for a taxi.

A policeman's intuition quickly drew her attention to a car parked by the roadside—a black BMW with its hazard lights on, no one inside. She glanced around and spotted three figures.

They all looked somewhat familiar.

They were standing far off in the corner by the police station's high wall. One was crouching, the other two standing. The crouching figure hugged his knees, head bowed like a child. The man and woman standing beside him seemed to be trying to persuade him of something, occasionally glancing in her direction.

You Mingxu jolted, inwardly cursing her luck, and turned to walk in the opposite direction.

But it was too late.

The crouching figure suddenly looked up and stood. The other two rushed to support him, but he shook them off and charged toward You Mingxu. "Sis—Sis—I'm here—"

You Mingxu: "..." Damn it!

She watched expressionlessly as he ran closer. He wasn't moving fast, probably because of his injuries. One hand pressed against the bandages on his body, his steps unsteady, hopping along like a lame toad. You Mingxu didn't go to meet him, just stood there watching quietly.

The supposedly famous Mr. Yin Feng reached her, his pale face slightly flushed, eyes brimming with sparkling joy.The two who had followed him were a woman with a worried and somewhat sorrowful expression, who said, "Yin Feng, you can't run around. Your injuries are still serious." After speaking, she glanced at You Mingxu.

The young man, on the other hand, appeared very composed, standing behind Yin Feng with his hands hanging at his sides, silent. He was likely Yin Feng's assistant.

You Mingxu sized up Yin Feng. He had changed into a hospital gown, his face was cleaned, and his face and hands were covered with bandages, his body wrapped in gauze. But he was barefoot, his large pale feet covered in mud and some reddish abrasions. Additionally, there were clearly several fresh small wounds on his forehead and palms.

You Mingxu asked, "How did you end up like this?"

Yin Feng thought for a moment and replied, "I also think this outfit doesn't look good."

You Mingxu only felt a nerve twitch in her forehead. She turned to look at the man behind him, who was quite sharp and immediately understood, quickly explaining, "After Teacher Yin woke up, he insisted on coming to find you. The news broadcast about your branch arresting the suspect was on TV, and he saw you. Later, he took advantage of the nurse's inattention and sneaked out of the hospital. The new injuries on his body are from falling on the way. Officer You, please persuade Teacher Yin to return to the hospital. His injuries are serious, and if he doesn't receive proper treatment, something bad could happen."

You Mingxu glanced again at the man's refined and gentle features, thinking that Yin Feng's... assistant really knew how to handle things. Then she thought, who knows what kind of person the real one was like before his mind was damaged.

You Mingxu said to Yin Feng, "Did you hear what he said? If you don't get proper treatment, you could die. Hurry back to the hospital."

The woman also tugged at Yin Feng's arm and pleaded, "Yes, hurry back to the hospital. Please don't do this again, I'm begging you."

You Mingxu glanced at the woman.

Yin Feng abruptly shook off the woman's hand, showing a disgusted and somewhat fearful expression, saying, "What's it to you? I don't even know you. Don't touch me again, or I'll hit you." Then he looked at You Mingxu, his expression turning timid and soft: "Mingxu, I didn't see you when I woke up that day. Why didn't you come find me?"

Seeing You Mingxu remain silent, a flicker of panic flashed in Yin Feng's eyes. He immediately bit his lip and straightened his neck: "Anyway, I found you, and no one else can take me away now!"

The woman beside him wore a complex, bitter smile as she looked at You Mingxu. The assistant remained expressionless and silent.

You Mingxu was quiet for a moment before saying, "Mr. Yin Feng, you've got it wrong, haven't you? I'm not your sister, and I have no obligation to you. The case is closed, and we have no connection anymore. Why should I take care of you?"

Yin Feng stared at her blankly, his eyes slowly reddening.

You Mingxu said coldly, "Don't you dare cry!" Then she turned and walked away.